Henry Rollins starts the European leg of his massive spoken word world tour tonight in Dublin - he's all energy and The Skinny has a good wide ranging interview with him:http://www.theskinny.co.uk/article/98316-regarding-henry
He talks beyond the normal American showbiz line - here's his answer to a question on why so many Americans appear to be against free health care:
"You would be against it if you were in bed with big insurance, or you would be against it if you are inherently against the idea of equality. What would happen if there was a better education system in America? What if America was number five in literacy, not number 46? It would mean a lot of non-white people with college education, and you know what that means? It means the prisons would be empty and it means that the next time we have a fake war with a sovereign nation, like the invasion and occupation of Iraq, millions of Americans would go "ahhh, NO!" you wanna go to war? I’m not showing up to work today.”, “I’m throwing my rifle on the ground and you'll have to court-martial me and 300 000 other guys because we're not going; because we are educated, we know our history and we're not going for this blood lust.” And that’s why this country fears the education and fears the equality of health care. Because, heaven help us if we had a whole bunch of healthy people making wise decisions; we might just have peace and posterity. I think there is a concerted effort to keep some people where they are and I think that is the inherent thing about the health care system. I don’t want my Americans to lose their home because momma gets cancer, because I like people and I like my countrymen, and I want them happy and well. Because if they are happy and well, our factories work better, our roads are better, quality of life is better. You don’t feel like robbing a liquor store or slugging your wife. Things get better."
Henry, who fronted Black Flag from 1981 is in Leicester on Thursday. On his radio show he plays Dum Dum Dum from time to time and we're planning to link up sometime on Thursday if only for a few minutes as I'd promised to send him an original copy of the Dum Dum Dum EP from 1979/80 and never got round to it - so no excuses this time - must get up into the loft and find it first though!
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Hello From Canada! If you can bring this project to the attention of your readers, fans of Henry Rollins, we are looking for their stories. Thank you helping to get the word out about this worthy project!
PRESS RELEASE – JAN 12/10
Project of Love From the Fans of Henry Rollins
Thanks to Hank
WANTED: Personal stories from the fans, a.k.a, ‘fanatics’, of Henry Rollins. If Henry Rollins has moved you, inspired you to reach higher, helped you in some way, or just makes your life better by way of knowing he is out there, living art and inspiration, and you are willing to share your story in a future publication of Fanatic Stories of Thanks to Hank, please send your story!
The target goal is to complete the project by February of 2011, Henry’s 50th birthday. All potential proceeds will go to the charity of Henry’s choice.
Fanatic and novice writer, Angela Bennett, commented on the project, “Henry has made such a profound contribution to the lives of many thousands, perhaps even millions of people around the world. He is an inspiration to so many people regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic class. This is an opportunity for fanatics to share their stories with, and thank Henry. During the first week of this project, some really moving stories have come in from across North America, from 16 year olds to 50 year olds, in response to an early post on the internet. It’s one thing to be a fan of a band, or an actor, but often it’s about more than that when it comes to Henry. Henry moves people, he is a catalyst in people’s lives. There’s a quote from The Gift: Imagination and the Erotic Life of Property, by Lewis Hyde, that captures Henry well, “…the gift we long for, the gift that, when it comes, speaks commandingly to the soul and irresistibly moves us."
People can contact Angela Bennett with questions & stories at bennettangela@rogers.com, or on Facebook (the Angela Bennett with the pic of Henry), or at http://open.salon.com/blog/angelalala. Angela does not work for, or represent Henry Rollins, other than being one of many grateful fanatics in the global neighbourhood.
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